Most viewed stories online of January to June 2017

Cary McCook was just trying to get to his Smithers hotel. A Smithers deer was just trying to run away from a dog.

Unfortunately, they butted heads.

McCook, who is from the Kwadacha First Nation and part of a hip-hop group called Reka-NatioN, was in Smithers to take an environmental training course when he got out of a coworker’s truck near the Stork’s Inn. He had only taken a few steps when a deer galloped right into him.

“I heard three gallops and I turned to my left and before I could make out what it was, I see a deer coming towards me and it hits me and I’m on the ground,” said McCook.

Travel website Trivago named its top 10 best value cities and small towns to visit for 2017. Smithers was number three in the small town category. Smithers was also the top value small town destination in B.C.

While nothing in the Northwest compared to the wildfires that ravaged the Cariboo region, the summer was a dry one for all of B.C. Fire bans were in place for the entire province, and smaller fires had to be contained in the Bulkey Valley. Smithers airport served as a base of operations for aircraft during the effort.